Closure device



July 1, 1958 F, s, YODER 2,841,307

CLOSURE DEVICE Filed Nov. 1, 1956 i FLORENCE s. SJODER INVENTOR. c

BY fi ATTORNEVS.

United States Patent Ofifice 2,841,307 atented July 1, 1958 CLOSURE DEVICE Florence S. Yoder, Long Beach, Calif.

Application November 1, 1956, Serial No. 619,796

1 Claim. (Cl. 220-24) The present invention relates generally to closure devices and more particularly to a new and novel re-usable closure device for sealing a generally triangular aperture formed in the top of a container or can.

The closure device of the present invention is adapted for use in sealing the generally triangular aperture or opening formed by a metal can opener of the type disclosed in United States Patent No. 1,996,551 issued April 2, 1935 to DeWitt F. Sampson and John M. Hothersall on Container Opener. This type of can opener punches an irregular-shaped generally triangular opening by cutting away a portionof the top of the can or container and turning this cut-away portion radially outwardly and downwardly so that the opening will function for the pouring or dispensing of the liquid from the can when the latter is held in a pouring position. These can openers are especially adapted for use with cans containing beer, soft drinks, vegetable or fruit juices and the like.

Since the openings produced by such openers include two sides having raw edges and on one side having a smooth, rolled-down edge, they are diflicult to satisfactorily re-close. It often occurs, however, that only a portion of the can contents are dispensed at one time. Accordingly, it is desirable to etfectively temporarily seal the opening so as to protect the remainder of the can contents from spoilage.

It is a major object of the present invention to provide a re-usable closure device for temporarily sealing the generally triangular apertures formed by such can openers.

It is another object of the invention to provide a closure device of the aforedescribed nature which is adapted to fit Within and hermetically seal the generally triangular opening over an extended period of time.

Another object is to provide a closure device of the aforedescribed nature which is readily insertable into and removable from the opening.

An additional object is to provide a closure device of the aforedescribed nature which may be re-used many times and offers a long service life.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a closure device of the aforedescribed nature formed of a tough, pliable, tasteless, non-poisonous and readily cleanable material.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a closure device of the aforedescribed nature which may be molded from a plastic material at a very low cost per unit.

These and other objects and advantages of the present investion will become more apparent from the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the appended drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the upper portion of a can formed with a pair of openings, one of which is sealed by a preferred form of closure device embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the underside of said closure device;

Figure 3 is an enlarged bottom view of said closure device;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a central vertical sectional view of said closure device.

Referring to the drawings, the preferred form of closure device D embodying the present invention is shown in conjunction with a conventional cylindrical, metallic container or can C. The upper end of the can C is closed by a generally flat top 10. The top 16 is shown formed at one side with a generally triangular dispensing aperture 12. A similar aperture 14, shown particularly in Figure 5, is formed in the opposite side of the top H9. The closure device D is shown positioned within the latter aperture 14.

The closure device D is preferably formed of a tough, pliable, tasteless, non-poisonous and readily-washable material. It has been found that a synthetic plastic material, such as polystyrene or polyesterene, may be employed, however, other materials may also prove to be suitable. The aforementioned plastic materials are pliable, yet form retaining and lend themselves to a casting process.

The preferred form of closure device D includes a wedge-shaped plug, generally designated 2%, and a generally oval top piece, generally designated 22. The plug 253 includes a pair of side walls 24 and 26 which are joined at their front ends and are interconnected at their rear ends by a rear wall 28. As indicated in Figures 4 and 5, the outwardly-facing surfaces 3% of the walls 24, 26 and 28 taper inwardly and downwardly from their upper ends. The inner surfaces 32 of these three walls are vertical and they define a cavity 34. This arrangement permits the closure device to be readily removed from the mold cavity of a molding machine.

The upper ends of the walls 24, 26 and 28 merge into the front portion of the top piece 22. It should be observed that a downwardly-facing shoulder 36 is defined by the lower front portion of the top piece 22 outwardly of the upper ends of the walls 24, 26 and 28. The top piece 22 includes a lifting tab 38 that extends rearwardly and upwardly from its front portion over the seam 49 which encompasses the upper end of the can C, as shown in Figure 5. Preferably, the rear portion of the lifting tab 38 will be formed with a bore 42 that permits the closure device D to be hung from a pin or the like when not in use.

Referring to Figure 5, when it is desired to employ the closure device D to seal the opening 14 formed in the top 10 of the can C, the plug 20 is positioned loosely within the opening. Thereafter downward force is applied against the front portion of the top piece 22 so as to urge the plug 20 to its position of Figure 5. Since the walls 24, 26 and 28 are formed of a pliable material and they are additionally separated by the cavity 34, they will flex inwardly during downward movement of the plug 2% into the aperture 14. The outer dimensions of the upper portions of the walls 24, 26 and 28 are slightly larger than the corresponding dimensions of the aperture 14, and accordingly the plug will be frictionally retained in its sealing portion of Figure 5. The pliable nature of the material from which the plug is formed insures exact fitting of its walls 24, 26 and 28 within the corresponding sides of the aperture 14. It should be observed that once the closure device has been inserted within the aperture 14, any super-atmospheric gases present within the upper portion 44 of the can C Will act against the portion of the rear wall 28 abutting the turned down segment 46 of the can top 10 so as to maintain this wall in tight departing from the spirit sealing engagement with the segment 46. It should also be observedthat the downwardly-facing shoulder 36 of the top piece 22 will aid in eifectiug'a seal between the upper surface of the can top 10 and the closure device D.

As indicated in Figure 3', the portion of thetop pieee 22 immediately below the front of the lifting' tab-38j]is formed with a curveor are 5% corresponding generally'to the curvature of the cans seam 4 .9. s r 1 V To' remove the closure deviceDfromwithimthe apertrue 14, it is Inerelynecessary to pull upwardly"andfin wardly on the liftingtab 38 relative to the can'C. This 7 action will raise the rear wall 23 along theturned-down edge 46 ofthe aperture 14f; Duringsuch action; the outer surface of the rear Wall 23 will slide freely; along this turned-down edge 46while= the outwardly-facing wall surfaces Btlpass upwardly along the other'two edges of the aperture. Accordingly, there is no; danger 'of tearing the plug 20.

Whilethere has been shown'and described hereinbefore what is presently considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without of the invention or the scope of the following claim, V V

Iclaimz' A re-usable closure device for temporarily sealing a 7 generally triangular aperture 'forme d in-thertop of'a cylindrical container radially inwardly from'the top seam of said container, comprising: a wedge-shaped plug having a pair of walls joined at their front endsand interconnected 'at their rear ends by and inwardly from their upper ends and the-inner surfaces of said Walls being vertical. so as to define a cavity, said a plug being formed of a'yieldable, form-retaining material whereby said walls will remain frictionally retained witha in said aperture after being downwardly inserted therein; a top piece'integrally formedrfon the upper: portion of said plug, .said top piece includingxa portion formed with a downwardly-facing-shoulder that encompasses the upper ends of said walls'so as to seat on theportion of said can j top adjacent said aperture and a rear surface extending vertically upwardly from-said shoulderand being formed with an arc corresponding generally to the curvature of said top seam; and a'lifting. tab integrally formed onsaidj top" piece audextending rearwardly'and upwardly'fromthe rear of said top piece, said'lifting tab extending outi wardly relative to said can when said plug is arranged s within said} aperturewith the undersideof said lifting tab V clearingsaid top seanfr; i U V V V References Cited filetof'thjs patent V i UNITED TAT Pause,

Nov. 17, 1936 2,173,843 Hothersall Sept. 26, 1939: i

2,530,253 Maged et al. Nov. 14, 1 950- 2,62 03,37; 'Rosenlof Mar. 3, 1953 2,649,090 Parsons et al."- Aug; 18,"l 953-' 7 a third wall, the out- 7 wardly-facing surfaces of said. walls tapering-downwardly 

